LONDON (AP) ― Manchester United all but turned the Premier League into a two-team race Sunday by winning 3-1 at Tottenham and ending the host team’s title hopes. Chelsea, in fifth place and in danger of not qualifying for the Champions League, fired manager Andre Villas-Boas.

Clint Dempsey, fresh off his goal that gave the U.S. a 1-0 exhibition victory over against Italy, scored twice to lead Fulham to a 5-0 rout of relegation-threatened Wolverhampton Wanderers. With his fourth multigoal game of the season, Dempsey increased his total to 18 goals in all competitions. With 12 league goals, he matched his high for Fulham, set last year. Dempsey was eclipsed Sunday by teammate Pavel Pogrebnyak, who scored a hat trick.

United was led by Ashley Young, who set up Wayne Rooney’s opener at the end of the first half before scoring twice himself after the break.

The victory put the defending champions two points behind leader Manchester City and 11 points ahead of third-place Tottenham. “It’s an entirely unbelievable result,” United manager Alex Ferguson said. “I would say that’s our hardest away game of the season. And, in fairness, the first half we were never at the races. Maybe we got our tactics wrong.”

Italy

Inter Milan came back from two goals down to draw 2-2 at home to Catania in Serie A, ending its five-game losing run.

Alejandro Gomez and Mariano Izco gave Catania a solid halftime lead as Inter was roundly booed. The game changed in less than 10 second-half minutes ― Inter’s Diego Forlan scored his team’s first goal in six games before Diego Milito tied the score.

Inter is still winless in its past nine games, but the result could save coach Claudio Ranieri jon. He is trying to avoid becoming the club’s second managerial casualty of the season.

Spain

Real Madrid brushed aside Espanyol 5-0 to march on toward its first Spanish league title in four seasons with its 10th consecutive victory.

Madrid enjoyed a commanding victory that restored its 10-point lead over defending champion Barcelona. This was Madrid’s 12th win in 13 league games at Santiago Bernabeu stadium this season. Cristiano Ronaldo took advantage of a defensive error by Espanyol to open the scoring with his league-leading 30th goal.

France

Paris Saint-Germain halted a run of three straight draws by beating Ajaccio 4-1 to move one point ahead of Montpellier at the top of the French league.